Martinsburg gazette. (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1886-1887, 1887-03-04
I,IEAsEs OF LIFE IN A WELT
ERIN RURAL HosTELRY.
Arrival Of the City Guests The
Mattresses killing Time Az
ter Cold Beds
An Early Call.

c4tuC PlCCc. 0uAHS IuC ldot Nt4eA
Tribune man has been invading num-
Der or small towns in the interior Of Il
Western State, and FIR the benefit of
those who have never been guests at q
rural hosteIry he will endeavor TO give
description of one. The tan pulls up
III front Of low, rambling wooden
structure two stories high, and the ears
Of the passengers are assailed BY the
wild clangor of bell in the hands Of a
youth of is. If it is the passengers
destination he alights and walks toward
the hotel lice. There is no obsequious
colored boy to sci e his grips and he
must carry his own baggage to the desk.
Then he registers. The register Of d
country hotel is something Of curiosity.
At the top of the page appears the handi-
work Of the night clerk in the shape of
the day and date, artistically done in
ink Of the two co.ors which mark O rou-
lette wheel. Aftcs the guest hns iegis-
tered be must tell the clerk whether he
wants room or not. If he does not the
clerk will not look after him until bed
time, and then first come first served.
naturally after long ride the
stranger is d triae hungry, and this
hunger is not at oil appcased by the odor
which floats through the open doors Of
the dining. room. It's the same old
odor, too, never striking for shorter
hours, and pursuing its Kaleidoscope
J way like the poetic brook The guest
takes d seat wherever he can get It, and
naturally looks about. Yes, there
all the old familiar friends. Apparently
no one has used the catsup since the
stranger was there tefore, and still in
its place is the property mustard pot,
with its bluff in the shape of an inside
coating OF yellow ochre. The napkins
have possibly shrunk title, but they
still shed lint upon the clothing with the
same old time prodiga.ity. There is the
revolving caster, too, with its plate a
little worn off, but still in the ring; and
the pre-Adamite mixed pickles, with the
little red pepper glazing through the
walls of its prison as it did of yore.
Yes. the old friends arc all present and
one begins to feel at home.
rs this feeling steals over one he is
conscious of the presence of being be-
hind hi chair. she--it is always a She
shovcs glass of water past his shoul-
der, and from between her ruby lips
there comes the mystic query: Bif
sick. porkstek, amaneggs, sassidge, col
metes What memory! But it is an
old, old story to her. She wishes she
had q dollar for every time she has re-
pcated it. II one hcsitates he is lost, as
she will walk away, 50 one orders that
portion of her rapid narrative which has
found Judgment in his memory, and she
sails away kitchenward These girls all
look alike and dress alike. Their coun-
tcnances proclaim q recent onslaught on
the fionr barrel and their facial make
up = is rather startling, as the powder
has appropriated territory bounded by
the forehead, cl in and ears. In most
instances their hair is cut, and they
i lect sewelry enough to entirely depcpu-
late l0-cent counter. But then they
are real good girls.
The supper has arrived at last and is
continuing to arrive on the installment
plan. The "bifstckn is crisply done
and is about the dimensions Of blue
chip. The rest comes in little oval dishes
which surround the plate on every hand.
Zach dish contains little dab Of some
thing, which is on the vocal bill of fare,
and as the guest II about to begin the
life and death struggle with the food the
ministering angel in blue stripes and rice
powder asks: s.Teeorcoffy2' Che is safe
il taking either, as both are harmless.
One is then asked If he wants hot cakes.
OF course he does. One may think those
are flannel wheat cakes, but they are
NOT They are just little bit stub
born.
While chiseliug the way through the
cakes the proprietor's wife sails in. The
only person on earth who can literally
sail in is the better half Of a country ho-
tel proprietor when there is dining
room fllII az ruesfs. Her private table